Hear the voices of the violin and close your eyes and listen to the music play

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Strings of Deception

Author: T.A. Frischkorn

Close your eyes-listen- do you hear the music? Listen closely and let the music overtake your mind, heart and soul. The orchestra is playing and the sounds blend together so beautifully as the instruments are finely tuned, the orchestra leader takes his place and the music fills the room. One instrument stands out between the rest- listen do you hear the sweet sounds of the violin with its strings perfectly pitched and tuned and the sounds so pure? Do you feel the emotions rising, the energy and depth of the violinist as he/she takes a journey throughout the piece and transcends into a world heard by the player and the audience.

Victor Worthington was a musician of unspoken talent. Revered by his fellow orchestra members. The sound of his violin filled the rehearsal hall when he played while the wonderful sounds of the time remembered music on his stand.

Renee Worthington listens to the CD’s of the Ray Francis orchestra and closes her eyes, feels her father’s presence all around her as she becomes enveloped in the sounds, colors that were her father’s life, music and more. Victor Worthington would play no more but his legacy and sound will never be forgotten but his life was lost during a horrific rainstorm. But, life struck a non-melodic chord as Victor lost his life in a terrible car accident leaving many to mourn him and one who could not cope without his presence. Battling to see beyond the torrential downpour, his eyes blinded by the rain, Victor Worthington disappeared into a ravine with a different kind of music- one of pain. But, there is much more to tell.

Not alone before the accident, giving another member of his orchestra a ride home, his passenger, Brandon was about to reveal something to him but the words were never spoken. Following her father’s death and his release from the hospital Renee with the encouragement and endorsement of her mother and best friend, Alexa decides to fill his seat and take his place in the first violin section of the orchestra. Why this created such a negative effect on Brandon still remains to be revealed.

Children often emulate their parents and strive for their acceptance in their own way. Renee, an outstanding concert violinist decides to try out for the Ray Francis orchestra only to be handed her father’s seat without having to audition. But, as she takes her place for the first time there are many whose resent her and whose voices will be heard louder than the percussion section and cymbals of the orchestra.

As Renee takes center stage the first time during rehearsal and plays Young At Heart you can hear the song, feel the emotions and understand how the instrument spoke to her and the sounds that emanated would bring tears to your eyes and those listening.

Deceptions, lies, jealously and much more play an integral part in what happens next. As the concert nears and Renee is about to embark on a new journey, she overhears the disgruntled remarks of one orchestra member after the rehearsal ends. Jealousy rears its head at times and there are many who do things just for the limelight and glow of the light and the brightness shine on someone else, they try to destroy it and crack the bulb and put out the light.

Violins are precious and each one has its own sound, memories and unique look. Victor Worthington’s violin was given to Renee by her mother to play in the orchestra. Feeling her father’s presence within the room the vision of his face as she closes her eyes to play, Renee felt she would continue in his path. But, someone did not want her dreams to come true and the violin is stolen and Renee is distraught.

Finding some violin pieces in the a box that contained bits and pieces that could be used to create a new violin and hoping to enlist the help of one person she knew could use these mismatched pieces to build a violin for the concert, Renee embarks on a journey to seek out help and finally does as the concert she will play will pay tribute to her father’s memory and his music.

Can she put the mismatched pieces of violin parts together in time to create this violin before the concert? Will it sound like her father’s? Will she still feel his presence as the curtain goes up and the first note is played entering her own world of music?

What happens during her debut concert will bring tears to the reader’s eyes. Listen: Close your eyes- hear her play the music of the great Glen Miller.   Take the trip back in time and listen to the music. Do you hear it? I do!

As she takes the stage, closes her eyes and dispels her fears the sound of the newly tuned strings play- her father’s presence surrounds and engulfs her. She is totally one with the music and she knows he is there with her as the violin’s sounds evoke an emotional response you will not believe on her and those present.

Who took the violin and the reasons behind it this reviewer will not reveal? Will you understand after all the lies and deceptions are revealed? Decide for yourself. One person is angered by her present and incites the rest. One who cares less for the music and more for the glory and the limelight at anyone’s expense.

When all is said and done and the final notes of an unfinished symphony are played you will understand the impact this man had on so many and the importance of those mismatched violin pieces. There is still on more box to be opened with a message inside. That you will have to read for yourself as author T.A. Frischkorn’s novel “Strings of Deception,” brings to light so many important issues and messages. Honest, warm, well written and heartwarming this novel is truly well delivered. A novel about faith, love, loyalty, revelations and a family of one man whose legacy will go on forever.

There is no deception in the fact that this book is truly outstanding and creates memories in the reviewer that are so special. I love the violin. It is so expressive when you play it and the emotions you feel as your fingers touch the strings and you place the bow on the strings and you hear the magical sounds you hear and enter the world of Victor and Renee. Great your own legacy of music. This is definitely an outstanding first novel and I would recommend it to other readers.

I never give stars when I review a book that I feel is noteworthy and should be read by many. I give this book Five Perfectly Tuned Violins to create a beautiful sound.

Fran Lewis: Reviewer

Mastering Your Sleep reviewed by fran lewis

Master Your Sleep

Author: Dr. Tracey Marks

So you have trouble sleeping and need to find a way to get good nights sleep. Insomnia, overtired, stressed out or so over worked that your mind keeps going like a fully charged battery that never loses power. You are up all night and the next day you are too tired to function. Well, don’t worry assistance is just 147 pages away. After reading Master Your Sleep by Dr. Tracy Marks, and of course consulting with your own doctor before starting any program, you should have the answers to the questions about why you can’t sleep, the cause of this problem and some possible solutions. So, sit back read my review and learn the many important facts, factors and information that you help you wake up clear minded, alert and ready for a full days action. Why can’t you sleep? What happens if you don’t sleep? What can you do it about it? What are the main reasons you need to get sleep and much more?

Each chapter is filled with different information that you need in order to start on your journey to a good nights sleep. The book is divided into two distinct sections. The first part discusses how we understand sleep and the second the possible strategies and solutions for improving the quality of your sleep. The author begins with what happens when you don’t get enough sleep and continues with the reasons why so many of us do not get a good night’s sleep. This chapter has the most vital information in this section. Understanding the many roots and causes of lack of sleep will hopefully alert someone with this problem to be aware of the warning signs and hopefully seek help in order to find the solutions needed. Depression, bipolar disorder, medical disorders, sleep apnea and there causes, symptoms and warning signs are discussed by the author as well as Narcolepsy which I do know is serious and something that caused my Dad to fall asleep at the wheel of his car and when traveling on the train to work. He felt a serious compulsion to sleep during the day. These episodes created much difficulty when was driving long distances and did not realize what was happening. Fortunately, in some cases, he pulled off the road before anything serious would happen. There are many other serious symptoms associated with this disorder that must be addressed. Some people have hallucinations when falling asleep and others experience automatic behaviors such as opening their eyes during sleep and appearing to be awake. How frightening is that for the person observing this behavior and for the person experiencing this without any knowledge. My dad realized he was tired but when he fell asleep on his chair at home or at the pressing machine in his store, he would awake without any knowledge of what happened and that he had slept for any period of time. Although the author does cite many ways to help someone with this issue, none were ever offered to my dad.

Insomnia: you just can’t sleep. You have no idea why or what might be causing this. Never dreaming your medications, foods or anything you are drinking are serious contributors to your problem. Certain medications such as antidepressants, diuretics, thyroid meds, nicotine and good old caffeine are some of the culprits. But, do not forget alcohol. Caffeine is not only in soda, tea, coffee and other drinks that often help keep us awake. Foods had caffeine too. I know that everyone loves chocolate, but a Hershey’s chocolate bar does have caffeine. What happens when you overdo the caffeine? This might make you sit up and listen: I know I did: fast heartbeat, headaches from too much caffeine, (Learned that from first hand experience) nervousness and much more. Of course the chapter tells how aging, shift work, naps and menopause and children can also affect your sleep. I was taking long naps during the day because I get up early in the morning. Becoming tired around 2 in the afternoon, I thought that I might take a short rest and feel rejuvenated to read more books and review them and do other important things on my day’s schedule. I woke up feeling groggy, more tired than I did before and worse than I felt before taking the nap. However, after reading this chapter I did learn and will try taking 20 to 30 minute naps in the early afternoon and hope that will help restart my motor for the remainder of the afternoon. Some of my friends have complained about not being able to sleep due to hot flashes and other factors attributed to menopause. In order to understand and learn more about why you don’t sleep read chapter 3. Finally, this section tops off with some vital information for anyone that wants learn whether or not they should have a sleep evaluation. This process can only be understood if you read if for yourself.

Now we are ready for section two: But before you start any program you need to consult your own doctor. The author warns the reader about the many different sleep aids both prescription, and non. She also explains the use of herbal remedies and their side affects and how the user needs to read ingredients and be aware that these sleep aids might not interact well with other medications you might be taking. Just because a sleep aid is not prescribed does not mean it is safe for you to take. There are many lingering side effects that occur from all of these medications some more profound than others.

Now, if the things that will help you get a good nights sleep and they will definitely not hurt you or leave you with any lingering side effects. First, set up a regimented time to go to bed each night. Prepare one hour before bedtime prepare yourself. Keep the room dark and cool during the night while you are asleep. There are many more things you can do to create a healthy sleep hygiene program but you need to read the book for yourself. I can’t tell you everything or I would reveal too much information and then you would not need to buy this great resource. Of course my favorite part of this chapter is the information related to using your bedroom for sleep and of course sex. How bad can that be? The author relates many different real life incidents throughout the chapter letting the reader know how different people learned to use this information and start a proper sleep program. The author tells how Amy learned to use stimulus-control therapy. This program will help you control the stimuli that cause stress in your bedroom. The process is really simple and in Amy’s case really helped her. The author goes on to describe sleep restriction, which limits your time in bed to only sleeping and no other activity. There are many other treatments outlined within this chapter including one for insomnia.

Finally, cognitive therapy is discussed and how it addresses insomnia and the way a person deals with his/her faulty beliefs. One thing that did hit home was the discussion of Intrusive Problem Solving. Many people recap their day’s events when their head hits the pillow causing them as I was doing to think about the things you need to do the next day and go over it in your mind to making sure you forget nothing. But, this puts pressure on you and can definitely affect how well you sleep. In other words just rename it as good old worry comes a calling and you need to not let you mind run wild and have your worries in charge. Writing down what is bothering you on a Problem-Solving Worksheet as described in Chapter 7 will help get these thoughts out of your head and on paper. The other half of the chapter deals with Inaccurate Assumptions or wrong beliefs that help us justify why we cannot sleep. As you being to read this chapter you will learn how to deal with intrusive thoughts that plague your brain at night and different ways to eliminate inaccurate assumptions. The author in Chapters 8 and night discusses Bright Light Therapy, Sleep Disorders in Children and how to deal with them and finally recaps and puts it all together in Chapter 10. Added to the end sample sleep diaries that you can copy and use to record your daily sleep habits. A problem-solution blank and Assumption Log and numerous resources. Whatever you decide to do read the book, decide what method is right for you, consult your doctor if necessary and know that this book is an outstanding resource to help get you started in the right direction. So, here’s to a good nights sleep. But, don’t fall asleep until you read the book. This is one book that I read from cover to cover and it definitely did not make me fall asleep. It kept my interest and it will keep yours.

Fran Lewis: Reviewer

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Outstanding Resource: How To Spot Lies Like the FBI reviewed by fran lewis

How to Spot Lies Like the FBI

Reviewed by Fran Lewis

Everyone lies so don’t try to deny it. If you do you would definitely be telling a boldfaced lie. Just how could you are and how convincing your lies and stories are remains to be seen. Kids lie from an early age to prevent being punished. Learning how to convince their parents that they are innocent and sweet little darlings is not that difficult and comes from listening and observing the behavior of their peers and of course adults. Adults lie on a daily or even minute-to-minute basis. They lie to defraud the government, swindle you, and cheat you when you want to buy a new car or even fix the pipes in your bathroom. The art of lying is one that many have mastered but few can perfect. So, why do it. Simple enough. It helps give you time to come up with a story to get you out of the hot tub you might have fallen into. It might gain some time to think of something else that your unsuspecting victim might believe. Some are just pathological liars and have convinced themselves that this is their only way of life and their viable option for survival.

Author Mark Bouton’s book, “ How to Spot Lies Like the FBI,” will give you comprehensive course and understanding of how to spot a true liar, the warning signs, signals and more so that you can be your own FBI agent and catch the liar in his own web of deceit before you get caught in the net with no way out. There are many kinds of liars. There are those that are deceptive, those that convince themselves and justify their words and actions even though their every word is a lie. Many people commit crimes and quietly relate the events that caused them to be convicted even though they might not relate them in the proper sequence, or the proper time frame. People lie to get away with things, to cover up what they don’t want you to know and many times to convince themselves they are right.

The trick is how can you spot the many different types of liars and what are the cues that alert you, the public or the interviewer that the person in front of you is a board certified card holding liar and is a true member of the Liar’s Club. Watch out for the eyes and the facial movements. Various facial expressions and eye movements as described in detail in Chapter 2 will help the reader understand what to look out for and why. In Chapter 3 the author gets down to the nitty gritty of why people lie, how you know they are lying and much more. Chapter four gives you the definitions of the many types of liars, situations that he encountered which help clarify how to indentify them and many other real life encounters our author had with serious criminals, simple arrests and people in general that lie. Each area is backed up with research and examples making it easily understood for the reader to become a quick study and learn what the experts already know in how to spot lies.

The author includes ways to spot a liar, the reasons why people lie and how you can learn to identify the signals and the warning signs so that you will not be easily fooled, foiled into in a scam and more aware of your surroundings and those in it.

What are the types of liars and how will you know how to spot them? There are so many types of people who lie and some many forms of lying that I am only going to give you a sweet taste, like a treat, to whet you appetite so that you will definitely want to read this book and learn how to spot a true liar on your own. People to deceive you. That’s easy enough especially when coming in contact with salesmen, car dealers and insurance companies. There are those with borderline personality disorder, antisocial personality, personality disorders, sociopaths and many more. What behaviors do these and others exhibit? I am not going to tell you, read it for yourself and learn the cues that are indicative of these personalities. The chapter that I found the most telling is how to tell a spoken lie. This is often difficult for many of us to discern. So, read this carefully so that you won’t be duped by the dupers who are trying to con you into doing things, believing their lies in order to get you to believe their stories. First, watch out for verbal and facial clues. Facial expressions like creased forehead, grimaces and fake smiles and touching of mouth, nose or throat are true indicators that the person is not telling the truth. Omitting words in answers and clarifying what they said is another way to tell a person is lying. Posture, movements that are done by consciously and unconsciously and don’t forget the changes in speech patterns and voice. There are many more secrets to learning to spot lies like the FBI but I am not going to reveal them to you.

There are those that fabricate stories and really believe what they are saying. Some that give slippery answers like “ I am not going to raise taxes at this time,” of course you know politicians lie so why would anyone believe that? Another one would be “Why would I lie about that?” The person might become so incensed that might rebut with “Why would I lie to you?” The answer of course if obvious why don’t you tell me? People lie to avoid difficult life situations and their consequences. Lying to me seems to be a way of survival for too many people. If you want to learn more about the spoken lie read chapter four and I will not lie, you will definitely get a true handle on how to interview people and tell whether they are forthcoming with the information that you need. Just think, if you are in human resources or someone that hires in a corporation or any other business, this book can serve as a valuable tool to help weed out those that might not fit the job you are offering and help avoid hiring the wrong person.

Many people lie when they want to increase their friend base or get into the right social group or relationships. Many find it difficult to be straight in general. Deception is all around as the author states and not just the criminals or bad people are guilty. Deceiving others is a huge tool for survival. Of course my favorite section was title: Does the Government Lie? You decide that one and think about just how truthful are government really is, whether you can believe what they say when on television running for office and how you can spot a true polished political liar. We all know that they slant their views and claim all sorts of things about the opposition. What would happen if a campaign were run on qualifications, the issues and how the person is going to make positive improvements instead of doing a hatchet job on his/her opponent and running a campaign that really says nothing? The rest about lying in our society is in Chapter Five.

Finally, how does lying affect our daily lives? I would be lying if I said it did not. The world is definitely loaded with liars, deceivers, and those that lack integrity. I interviewed an author and I asked just how honest was the media when dealing with certain issues. The author stated that the media gives a slanted viewpoint that they want listeners or readers to hear. It does not always mirror the truth. After all, sensationalism is what sells papers and makes people tune into the news. Of course for those of you that have been dumped, jilted or in a romantic relationship, you might have fallen prey to someone that gives you false hope, flatters you to get what they want, claims he is going to leave his wife for you, (don’t buy that one) and gives you excuses as to why you cannot call him or he cannot call you. This chapter really tells it all and those of you that are in relationships that appear a little shady and false, you might want to read pages 225-232 to learn more.

There is so much you can learn by reading this book so I will leave it to you do it. The author in Chapter 9 reveals The Ten Secrets to spotting a liar. I have revealed some of them to you and insist that you read the book to find out the rest. People lie every second of every day. I would be lying if I said that I did not have to stretch the truth at times. But, I definitely would not be lying if I said that this is an outstanding book and resource for anyone who wants to become involved in law enforcement, any branch of military service or just want to make sure that you never fall prey to a liar and get duped again.  Liars beware: Now that I have read this book I am armed and alert and will never, I hope be fooled again.

Well written, interesting examples to help understand what the author is trying to say, and research that backs up his statements and findings, this book is one that I will refer to every time I have to deal with salesmen, customer care reps, plumbers and doctors too.

I never give stars: I give this book FIVE PEOPLE WHO NEVER LIE: That’s if you can find them.

Fran Lewis: Reviewer

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Breaking the Silence reviewed by fran lewis

Breaking the Silence

Reviewed by Fran Lewis

Life’s lessons are often difficult to comprehend and bear for many people. Creating our own destinies and futures comes from molding, shaping, forming and sculpting our lives as if we were sculptors creating a piece that depicts the many faces we wear. Each face that is created and made out of clay or porcelain represents the many emotions that we endure each minute, each day and each year. The pain, joy, heartache, happiness that we enjoy or inflict on others is seen in each face that the artist has created for the viewers to understand his/her life. Author Riisa Renee’s book Breaking the Silence allows the reader to go back in time with the author on her life’s journey.

As we take this incredible journey back in time to the beginning, we learn about David, his transgressions, his blending and bonding with God and the punishments he endured when he failed to adhere to God’s plan or wishes. The story then continues with out author’s real life experiences in college and how that changed her viewpoint on many things and called her away from being the person she really wanted to be and who she really is. Acceptance by others is often gotten at a high price. Many young girls, as you will learn, find different ways of getting attention from their peers, family and friends by giving in to the wants of others and not standing strong and by his/her own convictions of what is right or wrong.

Pandora’s box was filled with all of the human emotions that we have inside of us. But, Pandora kept them locked in her box and must told never to let them out because something bad would happen. Zeus instructed Pandora never to open the box. But, her curiosity got the better of her and she opened it allowing all the miseries and evils within it to fly out to afflict mankind. These evils have been cast upon humankind and we have seen the fruits of these evils all too often in our daily live. As our author relates her many encounters with friends that she met, young men that used her for their own selfish purposes and the mistakes that she made we realize the fragility of our inner most core and the need to find a way to create our own protective outer shell to shield us our own Pandora’s box filled with the wrong emotions and those that others want to inflict upon us.

Entangling herself in many long and short-term relationships helped to create an understanding within the author of what her goals should have been and need to be. Intertwined in the lives of so many men that she became involved with, learning their inner most desires and secrets and yet never really fulfilling who she was and what she wanted in order to have a man in her life hoping for some permanent relationship and some stability for her young son. But, what we often seek out and work too hard for is not what we always get. Men at her church, those in the same ministry and some at her college, all consumed with female/male passions and desires and when fulfilled revealed the truth about what they felt leaving our author disappointed and trying to find her way back to God and the right path for her.

Many women jump into relationships without thinking through whether the person they are deciding to get close to is right for them or just someone to have as a companion or more. As the author reveals her thoughts and you hear her voice coming through loud and clear, feel her frustrations understand disappointments, the reader learns that relationships can be deceptive, cunning and untrue. Many men have their own agendas and all too often they convince the other person to submit to their every whim stating that they can be trusted and even though you feel, as the author does on many occasions that intimacy is for relationships for married couples alone, that does not always happen and many women fall prey to the pressures inflicted upon them by their mate hoping that they do not lose them because they refused to succumb.

A thought provoking memoir of the authors personal struggles with her past and how she came to forgive herself for the many transgressions. Battling with difficult choices and discussion issues that are controversial, the author breaks her own silence and allows the reader to come into her mind, life and way of thinking to begin their own journey of forgiveness, repenting and hopefully ability to embrace life and love.

Throughout the book the author repeats the many lessons she has learned in different ways and makes shares with the reader the different situations that she encountered with the men that she wrongly became involved with even though they appeared to be caring and loving, she learned of their false motives, deceptive ways and their desire to fulfill their own needs. Many women, as she states feel the need to have someone in their lives just to feel fulfilled, accepted and wanted. Some stay in abusive relationships for fear of being alone or injured by the other person. Injuries are not always physical they can be pray on your mind and are sometimes psychologically inflicted on the other person without them even realizing it. Weak minded people often fall prey to such situations and as she became enveloped in God’s word, prayed for forgiveness and embraced the love of her parents she was able to renew herself and become the person she wanted to be and now is.

Growing stronger in mind and body after becoming a single parent, then learning consequences of wrong choices, she comes full circle with her love for her children, herself and God.  The hardest thing for someone who feels they are truly wronged is personal forgiveness for their sins. As you read this interesting and thought provoking book you too can learn the true meaning of the words, Love, Forgiveness and Hope.

Finally, she recounts a very important story and time in the Bible where she tells of Deborah and the conflict faced between Barak and Jabin. The many battles won and lost and the final demise of Sisera at the hand of a woman. These lessons and the thoughts behind them would be better learned if you read them for yourself. As the chapters conclude and the book’s final lessons revealed we learn much more about how the author finally came full circle, accepted herself for who she is, found God, forgiveness and much more. As she stated, she was primarily a joyful and happy person with a Song In Her Heart and a Smile on Her Face. When the light, the song and joy go out, you are often left with despair, hopelessness and heartache.
Find a mirror and look at the image or reflection staring back at you. Know who that person is, embrace who that person is and be proud of who you are and what you have become. You are truly stronger, more understanding, insightful and yes, you are just fine the way you are and who you are should make you proud. Keep that song in your heart and never stop singing. I could hear you singing and rejoicing as I read the book and turned the last page.

This book would make a great resource for young women facing the same difficult times and living in shelters or at home with parents who need to truly understand why their love and support is needed and not cast their child aside. Guidance counselors and social workers should use this book as a resource for young girls in high schools who might stray or have strayed to allow them to understand that they are not lost and there is hope to come back and be the best they can be if they learn forgiveness and love.

Insightful, unique in the way it was delivered the message is loud and clear: Forgive yourself for your mistakes, never fall prey to the whim and wiles of others in order to feel accepted and wanted, be your own person and accept yourself for who you are. There is much more to learn but you will have to read and learn it for yourself, as I did and so many others who will read this after me. As meet each crisis and take a deep breath first, think about God, his love and your desire to live as our author so wonderfully states: God’s love: L- Live O-Openly-V-Virtuous-E-Existence. Understand that he creates your life, as he creates a wonderful page in your life each day. You have shown great courage, greatness and fortitude by telling your story and Breaking the Silence so many others are fearful to do.

Fran Lewis: Reviewer

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Draw What Is Inside of You: Find Your Own Light

Title: The Drawing Lesson: The First in the Trilogy of Remembrance

Author: Mary E. Martin

ISBN: 9781450229364

Publisher: Rising Star

Visual images, light sources, perspective and understanding of the subject are just some important factors or components of a great artist’s work. As you view a painting or piece of sculpture you come away with your own interpretation of the piece being presented. When viewing the painting The Hay Wagon those present saw something unique and different in it that even the artist had missed. Alexander Wainwright painted a picture with God in it and a special light that was cast on each side that many saw; yet he did not. Many writers and artists are guided by the strength and spirit of others. His own muse guided him, when his sight was waning and the source of his true ability to see and paint might soon be gone. This brings me to my review of an outstanding novel by Mary E. Martin, “The Drawing Lesson.”

At a pre-award party, Alexander Wainwright presents his latest work only to be shot down by his arch nemesis and main source of competition, Rinaldo. Ingrained in his mind that art is beautiful and his landscapes possess a special light or quality that few can see, it is upsetting and frightening to his dealer and our narrator that his vision and perspective changed and his thoughts turn to painting something grotesque, ugly and deformed: Trolls. Alex Wainwright painted over one of his landscapes by placing 23 figures in it that appeared longing to be free, loved and understood. Not only was his vision become dim, but also the light that shined in his paintings even duller presenting both a good and evil forms of human life. Can beauty be found in the ugliness of trolls? Can one man’s muse or inspiration take a left hand turn and go in an entirely different direction? Was he so influenced by the thoughts of Rinaldo that he no longer could see his own true light and vision? Trolls are his new inspiration and vision of art has drastically changed as Alex travels to Venice with many others who have experienced life’s changes too.

The art comes from within and the light shines hoping to create a message of its own to the viewer. As Alex meets Daphne, The Cummings, Peter’s parents, and many others they have one thing in common: finding a way to forgive the past and create a better vision and life in the future. Alex needs to find his way to Peter. Daphne to forgive herself for her lover’s suicide and Peter who is trying to understand the harshness of a parent and understand how to deal with it in his writing and his life. Forgiveness is not always something we can allow ourselves to do.

There are many people who go through life blaming others for their failures and misfortunes as Peter’s father did. Peter felt unloved and shunned by his father and put aside by Alexander when he felt he needed him the most to complete his novel. When both worlds reunite and their voices are truly heard, yet not understood, Peter lashes out at Alexander for not being there for him and Alexander apologizes but is not forgiven. Peter was Alexander’s muse. Trolls are ugly creatures and according to some they are humans as they appear to God. Peter relates that Alexander’s landscapes are our vision of the divine and the trolls are God’s vision of us. Both the artist and the author connect in different ways and as Peter was Alexander’s muse he felt inspired to paint his landscapes having a special light that helped them express their thoughts through their different medias.

As our narrator, Jamie, continues telling of the journey of our great artist author Mary E Martin keeps the reader totally engaged, immersed and on the edge to see what will happen next, just what influence these trolls will have in the final analysis and their final destiny would be. Good vs. Evil seems to be the theme in his paintings as the trolls take on the mind of the painter and flaunt their control over his every stroke as he tries to solve the problem with his art and the disappearance of the light. Then the past comes into our present and the author relates the truth about the artist’s first muse and the daughter Celia, he never knew about.

This novel is about more than just drawing lessons, charcoal and painting on a canvas. It is about creating your own world and not concerning yourself with the thoughts and needs of others. In other words, being your own person and who you really are.

The journey began with a painting and an award and led our artist on a quest to find himself, his art and the light that shines from within him and all those that he encountered along the way. As the story concludes and Rinaldo tries to upstage him with his invitation to have them collaborate on a project, author Mary E Martin brings the story full circle and in the artist’s a whole new perspective in his work. This is a story of growth, independence, deceit, forgiveness, remembrance and much more. An ending that you will not expect and a final twist that will surprise you, author Mary E. Martin has created her own masterpiece or work of art in this outstanding novel. As we take the journey along with our narrator and the memorable characters that created the pictures, the stories and the images on paper that is part of their own life’s drawing lesson. Alexander Wainwright might not have realized it but his art was truly his inspiration and his muse.

I am honored to have reviewed this book and I do hope to read and review the next two in the trilogy.